


Surfin' Safari

by clgfanfic



Category: Riptide (TV), Tour of Duty (1987)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:17:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tag to the episode "The Orange Grove"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surfin' Safari

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Prime Time #7 and later in Boss And Bodacious: Special Collection #1 under the pen name Lynn Gill.

Nick Ryder swung down from the helicopter and strode angrily toward the warrant officer waiting for him just outside the flight operations tent at Camp Bennett.

"What the hell's going on?" the dark-haired lieutenant demanded.  He'd been on a patrol when the radio call had come, pulling them out early and forcing Nick away from the ground unit he'd been adopted into over the past two and a half months.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Ryder, but Colonel Johnson requested you personally."

Johnson was his new commander, although Nick had only seen the man twice, both times on missions.  There hadn't been any time to get acquainted.  "I thought I was supposed to be getting some more ground experience–"

The young lieutenant was stopped short when Doug "Pitbull" Johnson stepped out of the olive drab tent, his short, squat body swaying from side to side as he walked up to join the two men.  They both saluted smartly.

"And I hear you're doing very well, Lieu-tenant," Johnson said with a cocky grin.  "Damn-near a natural infantryman.  But what I need right now is a pilot."

Ryder shifted uncomfortably at the stress on his new rank.  He was one of a handful of warrant officers who had received field promotions to full lieutenant.  His had come two and a half months earlier when he'd helped get the unit he was working with out of a very bad situation.  With the promotion came a reassignment away from his regular First Cav duties, and he was grounded for two months with Lieutenant Myron Goldman's infantry unit.  The unit wasn't regular Special Forces, but they might as well be, and Nick used the time to learn all he could from Goldman and his first sergeant, Zeke Anderson, concerning the way the war was being fought on the ground in Vietnam.

It was all a part of the orders that transferred him into Johnson's unit.  Evidently the man liked well-rounded soldiers and he decided to leave Nick with the infantry unit for another week, but now it looked like that assignment would be cut short by four days.

Johnson's group was an unusual assortment of individuals, collected more on the basis of their individual talents than anything else.  Nick didn't think he'd fit in well with the group as a whole, although he respected Johnson and was grateful that he was finally doing something more than dropping boys off to get killed or picking up what was left.

Ryder also knew that he had taken the first step to marrying himself to the Army by taking the promotion.  When the war was over he'd be transferred into the military police.  In fact, he had requested it.  There were worse careers.

"Son?"

"Huh?  Excuse me, sir, I–" Nick started, when he realized that the colonel had asked him a question.

"I asked if you're up for a little mission?"

Ryder shrugged.  There were no "little missions" with Colonel Johnson.

"Good.  I want you to drop me, Allen, and Parker near a village.  We're going to meet with a Vietnamese who's carrying information on a hidden arms cash, and God knows what else."

"Yes, sir."

"It should go smooth, but I have a buzz in my gut that says it might be a trap, so I want the best."

"Don't you think we should take in a few more men if that's the case, sir?"

"I'd like to, believe me, but the man said three.  If I bring in more we might lose the information."

"I'll be ready to go as soon as the chopper's refueled."

"Already being done," Johnson said, gesturing toward the tent.  "Let's wait inside."

The interior of the flight operations tent was as hot as it was outside, but small fans hanging in the corners, creating something of a breeze to stir the humidity-thick air.  Nick nodded at the other two men he would be flying in, both of whom were sitting and waiting.  Tech Sergeant Langdon Parker was a large black man who played a mean sax in his off-duty time.  Cody Allen was a preppy college boy and Johnson's executive officer.

Ryder had heard that Allen had spent some time as exec officer for Colonel Cathcart and his forward air group.  Apparently the man just didn't take to flying and requested a transfer when the small prop plane he was riding in was shot down.

Ryder smiled.  It would probably get worse for Allen now that he was assigned to Johnson.  The prop planes he had ridden in were tame compared to the helicopter rides Ryder could give him, and given Johnson's reputation, this would probably be the first in a long line of tight flying situations.

The blond smiled thinly at the pilot.  _Still_ , Ryder admitted to himself, _Allen handles himself well enough, and he sure as hell isn't afraid of action, if what I've heard about him is true_.  Ryder offered the man a thin smile.  He felt like a nice enough guy.  _In fact, he feels, very, right_ , the pilot decided.   _Almost like I know him…_

"Gentlemen, our ride is here.  Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," the two men chorused, standing.

"Good.  Ryder will take us in and drop us off at the village perimeter.  Lieutenant McKay is on standby with Lieutenant Goldman and his unit.  They'll be ready to drop in and give us cover if there's trouble and we have to pull out fast.  If this works, it's a quick and easy trip.  If it's not…"  He paused, then shrugged.  "Well, we'll deal with it when it happens."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick scanned the tree line for any sign of movement.  The same buzz the colonel had mentioned was starting up in his own gut as well.  The whole thing was rapidly starting to feel wrong.  He radioed McKay.

"This is Bravo Two, go ahead," the second pilot replied.

"Bravo Two, this is Echo Two.  Listen, I have a bad feeling about this, pull in as close as you can, will ya?"

"Roger, Echo Two, pulling in to three klicks."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The village looked normal, but Ryder knew that didn't mean a damn thing.  He buzzed by, the women, children, and old men working outside all craning their necks to watch the chopper as it passed overhead.  Locating the clearing at the south end of the village, he dropped in and swung the Huey around to watch the tree line that now obscured the huts.

The chopper lurched slightly as the three men exited and headed off in a low, weaving crouch.  Nick waited until they were safely in the trees, then pulled up and swung off to the south to wait for the pick-up call.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Allen licked his lips and followed Parker through the high grass.  If the man they were meeting really had the sorts of information Colonel Johnson hinted that he did, it could be extremely valuable.  But if this was a trap…  He stomped the thoughts back into the corner of his mind.  _No.  No time for any of that.  The three of us can hold our own until help arrives._   _Ryder's out there, too, flying high-cover_.  The thought was strangely comforting to the blond lieutenant.

They paused at the edge of the village.  It looked clear.  Calm.

"Okay," Johnson said.  "Lets go, time's a'wastin'."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Allen had actually begun to think that the operation was going to come off like they'd hoped.  He watched Johnson accept the package from the older Vietnamese man.  In exchange, the colonel handed over a thick, sealed envelope.  What was inside Allen had no idea, and he wasn't particularly interested as a flurry of activity at the south end of the village caught his attention.

He saw them as they exited the trees.  A squad of NVA regulars.  "Shit," he breathed.  "NVA.  A squad," he said, calmly enough to startle himself.

Parker pulled out the radio receiver and called.  "Echo Two, this is Echo Six, do you copy?"

"This is Echo Two, go ahead."

"We have Indians in the camp.  I repeat, Indians in the camp.  Call in the cavalry."

"Roger.  Cavalry is on the way.  Hold down the fort."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Damn!" Ryder growled as he swung the chopper back toward the village.  "Bravo Two, this is Echo Two, there are Indians in the camp.  Send in the cavalry, over."

McKay's voice replied quickly.  "Roger.  Bravo is on the way."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"They don't know where we are," Parker said quietly as they watched the soldiers rounding up the villagers and searching the huts.

"Someone will talk," the older Vietnamese man said sadly.  "You have help?"

"They're on the way," Cody said.

"Hope they hurry."

"Me, too," Parker said softly.  "I have a date with a sexy clerk who loves jazz music tonight, and I don't wanna be late."

The unmistakable "wop-wop-wop" of the helicopters cut through the thick air, bringing a smile to the men's lips.

"Here they come."

"Just like in the movies," Parker said with a grin.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

McKay swung in near the trees and waited while the gunner gave cover-fire to Goldman and his unit.  They melted into the trees and McKay pulled out in time to see Ryder making his first swooping run over the village.  The regulars fired on the chopper, but Ryder was over them before they had a chance to establish a good line of fire.  McKay smiled as Nick's Huey made a tight turn and dipped below the tree line.

"Purcell, Stan, take half," Sergeant Anderson said, pointing north.  The two men disappeared into the trees, leading several others.  "Taylor, Ruiz," he pointed left and right, the men fanning out along the south end.

"This could be tight," the sergeant said.

"Yeah," Goldman replied.  "Ryder's crazy, but he's going to be a big help if he can keep up those passes.  It's certainly distracting."

The two men edged up to the tree line and watched.  Purcell's half of the unit moved quickly to block off the north end of the village, effectively trapping the squad among the huts.  Goldman hated the thought that the villagers might end up caught in the crossfire, but whatever Colonel Johnson went in for must be worth the risk.  Something big.  He could feel it.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The fighting was tight and fierce for a time.  Those villagers who could fled into the trees as the Americans moved in on the trapped squad.  The soldiers finally broke and followed the villagers into the dense foliage.  Purcell's group moved after them as Goldman led his men into the village to escort Johnson and the others out.  The operation went fine until they reached the southern clearing.

The fighting had stopped.  McKay and Ryder both set their choppers down as close as possible to the men who ran covering patterns to the waiting rides.

Then Sergeant Parker fell.  Cody stopped, running back to the downed man.  Goldman cursed under his breath as a reinforcement of NVA regulars emerged from across the clearing and opened fire on the choppers.

Fully loaded, McKay pulled up and swung off, escaping the fire.

"Come on, Allen.  Come on," Ryder chanted under his breath as he watched the blond heft the black man over his shoulders and start toward the Huey.  Nick could hear Johnson and a couple of Goldman's men yelling encouragement to the blond lieutenant as he ran for the waiting ride.

A bullet ripped through the Plexiglas, and Ryder ducked, the chopper wobbling as he tried to edge in closer to the stranded men.  A second shot broke through the Huey, passing over his head.  Someone in the back yelped as he was hit.

"Ryder, get out of there!" he heard McKay yell over the radio.  "They're too close!"

Nick watched Cody turn and start for the trees.  "Ryder, get us out of here!" Johnson yelled.  "It's too late, damn it.  It's too late!"

Hauling back on the stick, Nick sent the chopper up and over the village, following the quickly disappearing outline of McKay's bird back to camp.

 _Damn, damn, damn!  I've never left anyone behind before!  No one!_   The thought haunted Nick as he flew back and landed.

Scrambling out of the chopper, he ran to where the colonel was already yelling at the camp executive officer.

". . . And I'm not going to leave two of my best men out there just because–"

Ryder held his own comments in check as the major interrupted.  "Look, Colonel, I'm sorry, but, there's a large influx of activity in the area right now, S-2 thought this wouldn't happen for another two days.  Your mission is just one part of a much larger operation.  If you have questions, you'll have to speak to General Haddison.  This is over my head."

"Come on," Johnson snapped at Nick, then turned and stalked off toward the more permanent, wooden operations headquarters, the pilot at his heels.

"We have to go back," Nick said.

"I know that, Lieutenant."

As they neared the building the pair was joined by Goldman and McKay.

"Colonel," Goldman began, "If you're going back and need men, I want you to know, we're ready."

"Me, too, sir," McKay added.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Johnson said.  "But I have to see a general first."  He threw the door open and stormed in.

"He's really upset," McKay said, a small smile on his lips.  The other two nodded.

"Glad I'm not a particular general right now," Goldman added.

Ryder stood for a moment, anger, guilt, and frustration surging through him. Finally he turned and headed back to the fightline.  One way or the other he was going back and his chopper would be ready.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Brigadier General Milton Haddison leaned against the edge of his desk, arms folded across chest, and listened as Johnson demonstrated several reasons he had earned the nickname of "Pitbull."  Once the colonel had his teeth in something, it was clear he wouldn't let it go.  Haddison let the raging wash over him as he weighed the factors involved.

Lieutenant Allen was a good officer.  So were Johnson and the rest of the people at Camp Bennett.  Still, there was the larger mission to be considered.  The packet Johnson brought out contained the information he had been waiting several months to receive.

Two North Vietnamese generals were meeting in an out-of-the-way village in Laos to divide the spoils of war and their drug trade.  Van Chin Bhin was one, Vin Trang was the other. 

Haddison's own hand-picked Special Forces unit, Cobra Company, would arrive within the week to undertake an assassination of Trang at that meeting.  The meet itself was the reason for the stepped up activity in the area.  Both Vietnamese generals were leery of each other.  Trang's NVA units were looking for Bhin's VC units and vice versa.

Haddison smiled to himself.  It was nice to have the enemy killing each other off for a change.  But now there was a lieutenant and a wounded sergeant in the middle of the whole damn thing.  The general knew he had a responsibility to do everything possible to get those men out.  But if either Bhin or Trang were frightened away by the activity, Cobra Company might not get their chance at Trang.  Why they weren't authorized to take both men out was beyond him.  Obviously someone, somewhere, thought they could control Bhin.  A mistake, Haddison was sure.  It could only lead to more trouble down the road.

He sighed.  He had heard plenty of good things about Doug Johnson.  The colonel was dedicated to his men, not the Army's red tape.  Of course so was Colonel Brewster, and what had happened to him bordered on the criminal in Haddison's opinion.  Allen had a good record.  Ryder was one of the few warrants to catch a field promotion.  McKay and Goldman had proved their mettle under Brewster's tutelage.  All things he was aware of.  And in the end he knew he owed these men.  He owed Brewster's memory, and damn it, he hated the thought of leaving those two men out there to die.

Haddison couldn't ask for a better group to send in after the pair – unless of course Cobra Company were already here, but they would be in Saigon until the end of the week and there was no way Allen and Parker could last that long.

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry, Colonel," Haddison apologized.  "I was just weighing the options.  You understand."

"Have you heard a damned thing I've said, sir?  I have a man–"

"Yes, I heard.  I'm _suggesting_ that you to pick a small unit that could go out there and get them out.  And if a chopper takes off in, shall we say, the next hour, I won't be inclined to ask why."

"Thank you, sir."

"But Colonel," Haddison said, seriously.  "This must be done today, and it must be done quietly."

"Yes, sir.  Lieutenant Goldman's unit has volunteered and so have two pilots."

"Ryder and McKay?"

"Yes, sir."

"Fine.  If I were to officially authorize such a mission, those would be the men I'd suggest."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Sergeant Anderson stepped into the quarters the rest of team Bravo shared.  "Listen up, gentlemen," he said.  The collection of men looked up from their various activities.  "Colonel Johnson's going back to find the two men we left behind today.  I need four of you to volunteer to come along with the L-T and me."

"I'll go, Sarge," Purcell said.  "If you want me."

"I want you, Purcell.  Who else?"

"Count me in," Ruiz added.

"Me, too," Johnson said.

"What the hell, it'll be too damn quiet if I stay here with you crazies gone," Taylor said.  "Count me in, Sarge."

"Huh, Sarge, you might need a medic," Hockenberry added.

"Might not be a bad idea, Doc," Anderson nodded.  "Johnson, you stay here, get the rest of the platoon squared away.  Okay, the rest of you, get your gear together and get your butts out on the chopper pad, A-S-A-P."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Lieutenant, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but Ryder's flying this one," Colonel Johnson told McKay.  He could see the young man was feeling partially responsible for Allen and Parker being stranded, hell, they all were, but Haddison had only authorized one chopper and it was obvious that there was no way Ryder would sit this one out.

"Then let me fly in the second seat.  You might need a co-pilot."

Johnson looked at Ryder, who nodded briefly.  "Very well, Lieutenant McKay, it looks like you'll be coming along for the ride."

Goldman and Anderson walked up to join them.  "Sir, we have four men, including a medic, who volunteered to come along.  Sergeant Anderson and I are going as well."

Johnson nodded.  They would get Allen and Parker back, he was sure.  These were good men.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

It was a quiet flight, each man silently checking his equipment in preparation.  Ryder switched to the onboard radio and spoke to the Colonel.  "Where do you want to go in?"

"Well, if I were Allen I'd want to move away from the village and away from the troops we saw.  The NVA must control the village by now, so sweep north and west, drop us off there, find a perch and wait to hear from us."

"Yes, sir."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Ryder dropped into a clearing small enough to make McKay white knuckle the edge of his seat; he was rapidly remembering why he hated flying in the second seat.  No control.

The chopper bobbed as the men exited and the pilots watched as they bled into the wall of green.

"I hope to hell they find them fast.  We've only got about five hours of daylight," McKay commented.

Ryder grunted in reply.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick scanned the surrounding area with a constant vigil.  McKay was doing the same.  Shifting slightly, Ryder wondered why he was so anxious about Allen and Parker.  It wasn't like they were good friends; he hardly knew either one.  Nick was still the new kid on the block.  Still, the blond had gone out of his way to make Ryder feel like a part of the group on the two missions they had shared – despite the fact that he hated flying in choppers.  Allen never complained, but he turned pale and set a death grip on the seat when he was forced to ride up front.

Ryder glanced at McKay.  Johnny was okay.  A little hotheaded and spoiled, but then Nick had never been known for being a particularly calm individual either.  After spending a couple of months with Bravo team, it was clear that McKay and Goldman shared a special kind of friendship.  Nick could see it plain as day.  It probably had rough beginnings, but the two men were close now.

Ryder thought about that for a while, also noting the birds lifting out of the trees to the west.  McKay and Goldman would probably stay in touch after the war.  Christmas cards, an occasional phone call and get together, but he and Allen?  That was a different story.

Nick hesitantly admitted to himself that he felt a certain affection for the blond.  They could be more than that.  They could be partners.  Doing what, he wasn't sure, but he trusted the man.  Nick felt at ease around him, despite their differences.  He respected Allen.  And right now, Nick admitted, he was damn worried about him…

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Cody watched the two choppers rise and swing lazily off.  Parker groaned, drawing Allen's attention away from the growing panic that accompanied the departure.  He had to move, find them cover.  Hide.

The camp was filling with NVA, forcing the lieutenant to the north and west, looking for sufficient cover.  When he spotted the small wash, he eased Parker to the soggy ground and lowered him in.  Using the naturally thick plant growth, Cody pulled the leaves in behind him as he joined the injured man, hopefully sealing them off from the eyes of any patrols that might sweep through the area.

When they were as well hidden as he could imagine, he turned his attention to the black man.  Parker was unconscious, panting and sweating.  Cody checked his pulse – weak and rapid, skin clammy.  Damn.  He was in shock.

Allen stripped off his tiger strip fatigue shirt, and using his knife, cut it into compresses to cover the abdominal wound, tying the bandage down with as much pressure as he could.  There was probably internal bleeding, but the blond had no idea what to do about that.

 _Nothing to do now but wait_ , he thought.  _Jesus, I hope they come back for us.  There was no way Parker can walk out of here, and I can't carry him and avoidx–_

 _Stop.  No need to get myself worked up, yet.  Johnson'll come back.  And Ryder_.

The thought startled him.  Why would Ryder come back?  They hardly knew one another.  Still, Cody was sure that the dark-haired pilot would, if they gave him half a chance, and probably if they didn't.  It was a comforting though.  Frightening, but comforting.

Cody shook his head and shifted the weapon he had carried on this mission.  There couldn't be two people more opposite than he and Ryder.  _Well, they say opposites attract_ , he mused.  _There's no one else I can think of I'd rather have at my back, that's for sure.  So long as we're on the ground.  His damn flying's going to scare me to death one of these days_.

_Ryder, where the hell are you?_

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Nick watched another progression of birds lifting up from the trees to the west.

"You see that," he asked McKay, nodding as they winged away.

"Birds, yeah, so?"

"They've been going up in groups all along that tree line."

"A patrol?"

"Looks like."

"I'll call Goldman."  He reached for the mike, but stopped as Nick also reached out to cover the control knobs with his hand. "Damn.  We can't break radio silence," McKay said, remembering the last orders Colonel Johnson had given them – wait for a call, but don't make any of their own.

"I'm going out."

"Wait a minute, you're flying this bird.  I'll go."

"McKay, I spent the last three months on the ground.  How much experience do you have?"

"One mission."

"Fine, then you're the new mission pilot," Nick said as he maneuvered out of the Huey.  "I'll call you once I know what's up."

"Be careful."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Cody listened to the sounds of footsteps moving just beyond the tangle of thick, broad leaves that concealed he and Parker.  A soft sentence in Vietnamese told him it their rescue would have to wait a little longer.

Parker shifted restlessly, and Cody reached out to quiet him.  The man's fever was building, and he was starting to have trouble breathing.  Much longer and Cody knew he would be sharing a hole with a corpse.

_Damn it!  Where are you guys?_

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick pressed himself into the soft ground and thought "invisible, I'm invisible" as the patrol passed him by, no more than a yard away.  When the soldiers passed he allowed himself to breathe again.

Rising, he moved off, hoping he could find Johnson and the others before he was completely lost.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Allen closed his eyes and willed the tears to go away.  Parker was dead.  There was no longer any reason to stay in the hole.  Reaching out, he removed the man's dog tags and silently begged the man's forgiveness for having to leave his body behind.

Three hours and it would be dark and Allen had no desire to spend the night hiding from VC or NVA patrols.  He eased the leaves back and checked for movement. None.

Crawling out of the depression, he pulled the leaves back to cover Parker's body and moved off. 

 _Where would they go to try and locate me?_ he thought.  _The NVA came in from the south, the village is east… northwest_ , he decided.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick caught sight of a brief movement in the trees ahead.  At least, he thought it was a movement.  He crouched and moved forward as quickly as he could and still remain safely quiet and alert.  One foot slid out from under him and he toppled into a depression.

Biting back a cry as he landed on Parker's cold corpse, Nick scrambled off the black man and wiped his face with a slightly shaking hand.  _Damn, we're too late!_

 _No, wait_ , he cautioned himself.  _His dog tags are missing.  Allen must have them_ , he concluded.  At least the blond was still alive.  _It must've been him, moving in the trees_.  The thought prodded Ryder to action, and he climbed out of the hole, moving off again.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

McKay waited anxiously.  No word from Ryder in nearly an hour.  He contemplated trying to raise him on the radio, but if he was in the middle of something a call could reveal his position.  He would have to wait.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Nothing," Anderson reported as he joined Colonel Johnson and Goldman.

"Where are they?"

"Sir," Goldman said, hating to be the one to raise the issue, "there's only two hours of daylight left.  Maybe he's found a place to hole up for the night."

"Possible."

"We'll need the time to get back to the LZ," Anderson added.

"I know," Johnson admitted reluctantly.  "Call Ryder, tell him to pick us up here," he pointed to a location not far away on the map.

Goldman nodded and motioned to Taylor to bring the radio.  "Echo Two, this is Bravo Six, no luck.  Meet us at victor, tango, alpha, over."

"Copy, Bravo Six," McKay said.

"That's not Ryder," Johnson said, his brow furrowing.

"Echo Two, where's Ryder?" Johnson asked into the mike.

"In the bush, repeat, Echo Three is in the bush."

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Johnson growled.  "Now I have three men out here!"

"Two, sir," Doc said, moving silently up to join them.  "Purcell and I found Parker's body.  He's dead."

Johnson cursed softly under his breath.  "All right.  We head for the LZ and hope to God those two are still alive."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick dropped down, waiting to see who was moving towards him… black man… Taylor.

He whistled softly, causing Taylor to drop down into a crouch, his fist coming up in warning to the rest of the men.

"Taylor?" Nick called softly.

"Who's that?"

Nick stood slowly, holding his gun out to the side until the soldier saw him and nodded.  He moved over to join them.

"Lieutenant, why the hell–?"

"Sorry, colonel, there's a patrol heading this way.  I saw them from the chopper."

Johnson mulled the information over, his anger gone.  "Recommendation?" he asked Goldman.

"We could pull back and try for another LZ.  There's a series of fields about one klick to the west."

Johnson nodded.  "Tell McKay."

"Sir," Nick said.  "I found Parker, he's dead."

"I know.  We have the body."

"Allen?"

"No sign," Goldman said when the colonel hesitated.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Cody held his breath and prayed that the man standing at his elbow didn't look down.  Eight men filed by before the black-clad VC moved out to follow them.  The blond fought back the desire to giggle in relief.  _So that's what they mean about the devil breathing down your neck…_

He crawled forward, putting as much distance as he could between the soldiers and himself.

 _This ain't gonna be no cake walk_ , he silently paraphrased Ryder.  _No kidding, man.  No kidding_.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

McKay dropped the chopper into the new LZ and sighed in relief as Goldman and Anderson led the pack to the open doors of the Huey.  Ryder joined him in the second seat, his face grim and set.

"Allen?" McKay asked.

"Nothing."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The sound of a chopper dropping down nearby caught Allen's attention.  He pushed his trot into a run, hoping the faint trail he was on wasn't booby-trapped.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

McKay lifted off.  Ryder looked back at the ground, a deep sense of abandonment filling him.  _Damn it, Allen, why'd you have to pull out on me, too?_

A flash of gold at the edge of the trees riveted his attention.  Reaching out, he grabbed the second set of controls, his feet already resting on the pedals while McKay did the work.

"I have it," Nick said sharply and felt McKay release the controls.

"What?"

He ignored the question, swinging the chopper sharply back to the left.

"What's up?" Goldman said over the onboard radio McKay still wore.

"I don't know, Ryder saw something.  He's flying this bird."

Nick dropped and rushed over the area where he saw the flash.  _There!_

Allen waved from a position of half cover.

"See?"

"I saw him."  McKay pressed the onboard mike.  "It's Allen.  He's at the tree line about a hundred yards off the LZ."

"Johnny, there's a group of twenty or so NVA coming up from the south," Goldman said as Anderson pounded his shoulder and pointed past the door gunner at the men moving on the ground.

Passing on the information did little to change Ryder's tactics.  He forced the Huey in closer, the blades taking occasional bites out of the foliage.

Allen ran for the helicopter while the NVA closed in on them from the other side.

Nick could hear the faint buzz of the bullets the Vietnamese were firing, but ignored them as he inserted the chopper between the soldiers and Allen.  Cody was running as fast as he could, but it was questionable if he or the soldiers would reach the Huey first.  The door gunner opened fire.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Yes!" Allen yelled.  He charged for the rapidly descending craft.  How Ryder had spotted him, he had no idea, but he wasn't about to worry about it right now.  All he had to do was get to that beautiful green bird.

Bits and pieces of foliage pelted him, kicked out by the chopper blades.  Ryder was taking a hell of a chance getting that close.  Cody ran faster.

At first he missed the shots that were being fired at him, the sound lost in the roar from the chopper, but when a bullet burned across his upper arm the sound leaped to cannon-like intensity.  Clamping his other hand over the wound, he kept running.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Ryder saw Allen stumble when he was hit, but the blond managed to stay on his feet and continued on.  The distance seemed to extend, time slowing, until Nick wondered if he was watching the whole thing unfold in slow motion.

It was Colonel Johnson's voice, yelling above the cacophony that finally broke through.  "Run, Allen!  Run, damn you!  Run!"

Nick lost sight of the blond.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Johnson was yelling at him.  Cody could see that, but the words were lost in the rotor wash and the pounding of his heart in his ears.  _Ten steps_ , Cody thought.  _Nine, eight, seven_ …

A second flash of pain stabbed at him, this time in his leg as he stepped on a rock, wrenching his ankle over.  _Go, go!_ he pushed himself.  _Six… five… four…_

"Run, Allen!  Run, damn you!  Run!" he heard Colonel Johnson yell.

_Three… two…_

_Hands!_

Hands grabbed him, dragging him into their grasps, into safety, into the chopper.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Nick bit down on his lower lip and waited for the familiar bounce as Allen entered the craft.  _There!  He made it!_

 _Get out of here, Ryder!_ a part of his mind screamed.  _Move! Move!  Move!_

He hauled back on the controls.

"Allen?" Colonel Johnson called over the noise of the Huey.

Cody opened his eyes.  "Sir?"

"Here, let me have a look at that arm," Hockenberry said, exchanging places with Purcell.

Cody noticed Parker's body.  "I tried, but–"

"It's all right, son," Johnson said.  "You did all you could."

"Just a graze," the medic announced after a brief inspection.

"You came back for me," Cody said, unsure how else to try and explain the emotions that were welling up inside.

"Sure did," the colonel replied.  "You didn't think I'd leave my best exec-officer out in the jungle, did you?"

"I sure hoped not, sir," Allen said and joined in with the men as they laughed.

"Damn good thing Ryder saw you," Goldman yelled.  "We were pulling out."

Allen nodded, wondering how he'd known it was the pilot who had spotted him.  "I owe you all a beer when we get back."

"More than one, son!" Johnson said with a smile.

"And we'll hold you to that, sir," Anderson added with a grin.

Cody jumped as the sound of music exploded from the chopper, dragging another round of laughter from the men.

 _McKay's definitely rubbing off on Ryder_ , Goldman thought but he smiled at the man's choice of music.  It was the Beach Boys, singing "Surfin' Safari."

"A little something for the lieutenant from California," McKay announced over the radio and Goldman passed it along to the rest.

Allen laughed and started singing, Doc and the others joining in as they skimmed over the top of the jungle.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Cody smiled as the men distributed the beers around the table.  He liked these men.  Goldman and Anderson were good leaders, and their men fine soldiers.  McKay was as crazy as Ryder, but it was a good sort of crazy.

And Ryder…  _Who is this guy?_

Cody shrugged.  _I hope I get the chance to find out_ , he thought.

"Gentleman," Colonel Johnson said, quieting the voices.  "As the ranking officer here – And no comments about the lack of showers, okay? – I feel compelled to make a toast."  The men laughed.  "To a damn fine bunch of soldiers," he pronounced.  "May we all find our way home, safe and sound."

The bottles chimed as they were tapped together.

"I just like to add a very big thank you," Cody said.  "To all of you."

The bottles were raised again in reply.

"Allen, Ryder," Johnson said.  "I'm officially notifying you two that you have a week of R&R waiting for you in Hong Kong, compliments of General Haddison."

"Yeah!" Ryder exploded.

Allen grinned.

"What about us, Colonel?" Taylor asked, then quickly added, "Sir."

"Team Bravo is going to Bangkok as soon as your next mission is completed."

A loud, wild cheer erupted at the table.

"Thank you, sir," Goldman said.  "They could use the break."

"Thank the General.  I just suggested it, he greased the wheels."

"I'll do that," the young lieutenant said.

The celebration continued for several hours, Goldman and Anderson finally herding their men off.  They would all be nursing hangovers in the morning.  McKay shook hands with Ryder, the pilots exchanging some private words before Johnny left.

Alone, Johnson, Allen, and Ryder shared a final toast in Parker's memory, then the colonel excused himself and headed off to his own quarters, leaving the two men alone.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment before Cody broke it, saying, "I really appreciate what you did out there today, man."

Nick shrugged.

"That was pretty gutsy, heading out on your own like that.  Pretty stupid, too."

"It might've helped save your ass," the pilot said defensively.

"I know."

"Sorry."

"That's okay.  Look, I…"

"What?"

Cody took a deep breath.  One of them had to say it.  "I'd like us to be friends."  Nick looked slightly taken back and Cody added quickly, "If you'd like.  We work well together."

"Yeah, I am pretty good at draggin' your ass out of the fire, aren't I?"  The two men chuckled.  "I'd like that.  But, I'd rather not have another surfin' safari like this one for a while," Nick admitted.

"Me, either!  And next time it's your turn.  I'll lead the cavalry to the rescue."

"Deal," Ryder said, extending his hand.

Allen took it in a firm embrace.  "Deal."

The End


End file.
